Trace-holder.



A. L. LUDWIG.

TRACE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 190B.

' Patented June 29, 1909.

Witness UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADAM L. LUDWIG, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR O F ONE-HALF 'lU HERMA EGNER, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. I

TRACE J-IOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed August 11, 1908. Serial No. 448,064.

siding at Little Rock, inthe county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in. Trace- -Holders, of which the following is a speci-- This invention relates to trace holders, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide a simple, reliable and efficient spring for securingthe end of the trace to the whiffletree.

Another object of the invention is to provide a whiflietree end with a recess in which is seated a spring, the outer end of which projects beyond the end of the whil'fietree to serve as a guide for the eye in the end of the trace, said spring having an inclined portion which carries the eye in the trace to a point between two guards which prevents the trace from withdrawal from the Whitfietree by accident.

- These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the end of a swingletree withthe trace holder secured thereto and the rear end of the trace connected with said swingletree and trace holder. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the outer end of the swingletree and trace holder. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the outer end of the swingletree, and showing the trace holder in side elevation.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a'swinglctree, the outer end of which is rounded oil, as at 2, and provided near its outer end upon the upper side with a narrow longitudinal recess 3 having an inclined inner portion 4. Secured in the recess 3 by means of the downwardly extendi'ng terminal ends 5 is a spring trace holder, preferably formed from a single strand of spring wire. The ends 5 are secured in an aperture extending through the swingletree. The spring Wire holder is doubled and bent upon itself. to form a loop 6 which projects beyond the end 2 of the whiflietree, and from the loop 6, the parallel portions of the wire are brought together and formed into aninclined guide 7 having a tendency to guide the eye 8 at the end of the trace from the loop 6 in between the two guards 9 which are con-.;

nected by a cross bar or bars 10. The keepers 0 normally extend above the recess 3. The wire strand continues from the inner guand 9 downwardly, as at 11, and inwardly and upwardly to form the stop arms 12, said stop arms adapted to bear against the in clined portion 4 of the recess 3 to provide a stop to limit the action of the spring holder.

In securing the trace 13 to the swingletrec 1. the eye is placed over the loop 6 of the holder and pushed up the incline 7 of the holder, the latter being depressed in the recess 3 as the tracerides over the incline 7 and down n 1011 the cross bar 10 between the guards 9. Vhen in this position the trace cannot he accidentally withdrawn from the swingletree for the reason that the stop members 12 will strike the inclined portion 4 of the recess 3. By placing the thumb or finger upon the loop 6, the spring may be depressed within the recess 3 to readily pormit the withdrawal of the trace.

My invention is of simple constructiomcan ends bent at righ t angles and secured to' the whiflletrce near the termination of the recess, said trace holder being provided with an upwardly inclinedloop at its outer end which projects beyond the end of the whiflietree to be'engaged by the trace eye in connecting saidtrace to said whifiletree, an inclined guide near the loop, guards for the sides of the trace, cross bars connecting said guards, and stop members in said recess adapted to bear againstsaid inclined inner portion of said recess for limiting the action of said stop member.

In testimony whereof I. aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ADAM L. LUDVVIG.

Witnesses M. MERRIMAN,

HFRMAN EGNER. 

